Toolbar.ISTBar

Posted: December 29, 2009

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	1/10
Infected PCs:	22

First Seen:	July 24, 2009
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

ISTBar is an adware program and browser hijacker that acts as both an advertisement-delivering toolbar and a Web traffic-redirecting program that changes your homepage and default search engine. Although all of the major effects derived from ISTBar infections only are sufficient to categorize ISTBar as a low-level PC threat, malware researchers still consider removing ISTBar to be a wise precaution for any PC user. Infection vectors for ISTBar often consist of corrupted and disreputable websites that attempt to install software by misleading their visitors, and, given the expected resistance that ISTBar has to being deleted, the use of anti-malware tools will be necessary, in most cases, after exposure to such websites or other ISTBar-installing PC threats.

The Browser Toolbar that's Only a 'Tool' in the Colloquial Sense

ISTBar is a browser add-on that installs toolbars and settings changes specific to Internet Explorer. Although other Web browsers are unaffected by ISTBar (that can make for an easy way to browse the Web while dealing with an ISTBar infection), malware researchers discourage ignoring ISTBar or other adware programs by switching browsers. Symptoms of ISTBar infections consistently adhere to the following pattern:

The presence of an Internet Explorer-specific toolbar that provides links to third party sites. This toolbar displays additional links based on any content that's typed in an IE window.
Homepage settings changes to lock your Internet Explorer homepage to an unwanted website.
Search settings changes that force your Internet Explorer searches to be redirected through ISTBar-promoted search engines.

Although ISTBar's changes aren't very similar to the attacks of high-level PC threat, they still are unsafe to your computer and may result in your exposure to potentially threatening Web content (assuming that you're using Internet Explorer). Because of the risks associated with ISTBar's settings changes and the violation of your ability to control your software, ISTBar always should be considered a threat to your PC that should be removed without any hesitation.

Loosening the Toolbar Before It Loosens Your Grip on Your Browser

Just as ISTBar has a long history of installing itself without being invited, like any unwelcome guest, ISTBar also is stubborn to leave. Most PC users without a background in PC security may find it difficult to delete ISTBar, and normal methods of doing so (such as through the Control Panel) have been proven to be ineffective. Although using other browsers is a useful temporary relief from ISTBar's browser hijacks, it never should be done in lieu of removing ISTBar from your computer.

However, despite the presence of substantial Registry changes and files hidden in multiple locations, ISTBar can be deleted through system scans from any competent anti-malware product. Keeping Internet Explorer closed during this process is suggested, since malware experts sometimes find that allowing your browser to stay open may result in an inadequate deletion of undesired settings changes and other components of a risky toolbar.

Aliases

Adware/IST.ISTBar [Panda]IST.ISTbar (threat-c) [Microsoft]potentially unwanted program Adware-ISTbar [McAfee]Trojan-Downloader.Win32.IstBar.gen [Ikarus]W32/Istbar.B442!tr [Fortinet]Downloader.IstBar [eWido]Win32/SillyDl.PO [eTrust-Vet]Trojan.Isbar.260 [DrWeb]Trojan.Downloader.Istbar-161 [ClamAV]TrojanDownloader.IstBar.gen [CAT-QuickHeal]Trojan.Downloader.Istbar.JB [BitDefender]Downloader.Istbar.9.C [AVG]Win32:Trojan-gen. {UPX!} [Avast]TR/Dldr.IstBar.is.2 [AntiVir]

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

istsvc.exe

File name: istsvc.exe
Size: 18.43 KB (18432 bytes)
MD5: b62e69d4ea129d75b89dca57ee4fea7e
Detection count: 76
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: December 11, 2009

ISTactivex.dll

File name: ISTactivex.dll
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY..\..\{CLSID Path}{A1A53286-D448-44EE-9660-F60A620A24B1}{8C752C5E-3C10-4076-AF0A-FFC69FA20D1B}